Death Metal is a precarious genre. Its intensity and specific sound is usually a very difficult thing to change drastically, responding best to inclusions or additions in technicality then anything else. Into the Divine, with their EP 'Harbinger of Entropy', might label themselves as 'melodic' but in actuality the band does little to follow the tropes or expectations of that subgenre. Instead, you are pretty much getting the sort of underground Death Metal experience you'd receive from a late 90's mix-tape.

The entirety of Harbinger of Entropy is sort a mixed bag. I was initially disappointed and confused following some research, in which they compare themselves to less technical bands such as In Flames, Megadeth, or even... Machinehead? Really, there isn't any of that here. Its raw, almost blackened, and extremely angry. The musical backing is very akin to oldschool Cannibal Corpse tracks and even includes a lot of strange tempo changes - tonnes of technicality in the bass (much appreciated) too, which shines more then any other instrument on this album. Clearly, Into The Divine is trying to appeal to the wrong audience, even with the bands they've played with, the band really doesn't fit too in-sync with things like Battlecross or even Septic Flesh. Fact is, Into The Divine is a white-knuckle and raw Death Metal band.

Sadly, there are some issues besides obvious miss-marketing. The first two tracks of this EP are a complete and utter disaster. The music is composed well but the pairing of vocals and actual music is horrifically bad. I honestly almost gave up on the EP until I heard 'Demons I Deceive'. From there, the whole thing picks up in almost every aspect. I'm sure there are people which would highly enjoy the off-kilter rawness and sloppiness of the initial songs but as it stands I feel they are way too amateurish.

This is for those who like more extreme styled metal. Its loud and crude but it has its merits and works about halfway through the EP. A little more work on the vocal style would have helped, a lot, but its nothing so bad as to say that the album is un-listenable - its simply not as advertised.

PyrrhonGrowth Without EndHandshake Inc.
Coming hot off their second album 'The Mother of Virtues' - Pyrrhon aims to get everyone's attention with what is easily one of the most interesting EP's I've heard this year, so far.

To be honest, I hadn't heard all that much from Pyrrhon prior to this release - mostly due to them escaping my radar rather then them being bad or something such as that. Labelled in some areas as 'Death Metal', Growth Without End is more of a very Dark and Experimental mix of Hardcore and Noise Rock. Of course, the EP starts its first few seconds out sounding somewhat typical but everything quickly shifts into beloved insanity.

Everything here surprised me, there was absolutely no moments I didn't enjoy. When the more streamlined and expected sections aren't happening, which they quickly fade away midway through the EP anyhow, you are treated to very intense distant sections that press the vocals back. Its almost as if you are listening to some crazed dictator talking down to you. Though that does sound like something we've all heard before, on tracks like Slipknots 'Pulse of the Maggots', you are getting the full effect of emotion and full-on intensity. And that sums up the entirety of Growth Without End. 'intensity' - as it never lets up and simply keeps compounding more and more until the EP evolves (or devolves?) into a cluster of almost composure-less noise. Its honestly something to behold.

The only weakness of Growth Without End is that it's not a entire album. Granted, the EP might be a little niche as it contains some highly experimental aspects - I can honestly say that, if your a fan of any sort of Extreme Metal then this is something you must check out. If Growth Without End is any indication of what Pyrrhon does and will do in the future, then count me in.